Composite article and method for making same

ABSTRACT

A composite article includes a ceramic part, a plastic part, and an adhesive layer connecting the ceramic part to the plastic part. The adhesive layer includes polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, dibutyl phthalate, and sec-butyl acetate.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to composite articles, especially to aceramic-and-plastic composite article and a method for making thecomposite article.

2. Description of the Related Art

A typical process for joining a ceramic part and a plastic part mayinclude the following steps: (1) the ceramic part is coated with aliquid adhesive on the combined surface; (2) the plastic part isattached to the combined surface of the ceramic part under a certainpressure to combine the ceramic part and the plastic part together.However, during the joining process, the liquid adhesive usually flowsout of the combined surface, which adversely affects the appearance ofthe composite article. Furthermore, the bonding strength between theceramic part and the plastic part is not strong enough due to a pooradhesive property of the current liquid adhesive.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the composite article. Moreover, in the drawingslike reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of anembodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a ceramic-and-plasticcomposite article.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, taken along the line II-II.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary process for making a ceramic-and-plastic composite article10 as shown in FIG. 1 may includes the following steps.

A ceramic part 11 is provided.

A liquid adhesive is manufactured. The liquid adhesive has ahigh-temperature resistance. The liquid adhesive contains polyvinylacetate, polyvinyl alcohol, dibutyl phthalate, sec-butyl acetate, andorganic solvent. The polyvinyl acetate and the polyvinyl alcohol arefirst dissolved in the organic solvent. The liquid adhesive is made bymixing polyvinyl acetate solution with a mass percentage of 55%,polyvinyl alcohol solution with a mass percentage of 5%, dibutylphthalate, and the sec-butyl acetate together. In the liquid adhesive,the volume ratio of the polyvinyl acetate solution, the polyvinylalcohol solution, the dibutyl phthalate, and the sec-butyl acetate is1˜1.2:15˜17:0.3˜0.5:2.5˜3.0. The organic solvent is alcohol in theexemplary embodiment, but not limited to alcohol. The liquid adhesivemay also contain small amount of thickening agent, preservative, andcoupling agent.

The liquid adhesive is coated on at least one surface of the ceramicpart 11 and then dried to form an adhesive layer 15. The adhesive layer15 has a thickness of about 20 μm to about 40 μm. The drying of theliquid adhesive can make the organic solvent volatilize completely. Thedrying of the liquid adhesive may be carried out at a temperature of 40°C. in an oven (not shown) for at least 30 min or at room temperature forat least 24 hours.

A plastic part 13 is formed by injection molding in a mold (not shown)on the adhesive layer 15 of the ceramic part 11, thereby finishing theceramic-and-plastic composite article 10. The plastic part 13 is made ofconventional resins having a molding temperature lower than 170° C. (arelative lower temperature), thus the adhesive layer 15 will not loseeffectiveness during the molding process. Further, to assure the goodadhesiveness of the adhesive layer 15, the temperature of the moldduring the molding process is also lower than 170° C.

The ceramic-and-plastic composite article 10 may be polished and paintedto present an aesthetic appearance.

FIG. 1 shows the ceramic-and-plastic composite article 10 which includesa ceramic part 11 and two plastic parts 13 formed on the ceramic part11. The plastic parts 13 are injection molded on the ceramic part 11.The plastic parts 13 are made of conventional resins having a moldingtemperature lower than 170° C.

The composite article 10 further includes an adhesive layer 15connecting the ceramic part 11 and the plastic parts 13 as shown in FIG.2. The adhesive layer 15 contains polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol,dibutyl phthalate, and sec-butyl acetate. The adhesive layer 15 has athickness of about 20 μm to about 40 μm.

The liquid adhesive is made by mixing polyvinyl acetate solution with amass percentage of 55%, polyvinyl alcohol solution with a masspercentage of 5%, dibutyl phthalate, and sec-butyl acetate together,wherein the volume ratio of the polyvinyl acetate solution, thepolyvinyl alcohol solution, the dibutyl phthalate, and the sec-butylacetate is 1˜1.2:15˜17:0.3˜0.5:2.5˜3.0. The organic solvent is alcoholfor example, but not limited to alcohol.

Three ceramic-and-plastic composite articles 10 were made by the processdescribed above-. The drawing force between the ceramic part 11 and theplastic part 13 of each composite article 10 was tested using a SEPrecision Load Tester (Model: 1220 (H)S). Each composite article 10 wastested for six times. The test results are shown in Table 1. The testresults indicates that the drawing force between the ceramic part 11 andthe plastic part 13 is strong, so the ceramic part 11 and the plasticpart 13 can bond with each other firmly.

TABLE 1 Sample No. A B C D E F Average 1 260.7 261.3 289.2 281.6 259.5262.6 269.15 2 263.1 265.4 286.7 284.3 262.3 263.4 270.87 3 261.9 260.5290.8 286.9 269.5 260.7 271.72

The exemplary liquid adhesive has a good adhesiveness, which combinesthe ceramic part 11 and the plastic part 13 firmly. Since the liquidadhesive coated on the ceramic part 11 is dried before combining theplastic part 13, the adhesive layer 15 will not flow out of the bondingsurface of the ceramic part 11 and plastic part 13.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics andadvantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in theforegoing description, together with details of assemblies and functionsof various embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changesmay be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, andarrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composite article, comprising: a ceramic part;a plastic part; and an adhesive layer connecting the ceramic part to theplastic part; wherein the adhesive layer comprises polyvinyl acetate,polyvinyl alcohol, dibutyl phthalate, and sec-butyl acetate.
 2. Thecomposite article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer isobtained by drying a liquid adhesive, the liquid adhesive comprisespolyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, dibutyl phthalate, sec-butylacetate, and organic solvent.
 3. The composite article as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the organic solvent is alcohol.
 4. The compositearticle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the liquid adhesive comprisespolyvinyl acetate solution having a mass percentage of 55%, polyvinylalcohol solution having a mass percentage of 5%, dibutyl phthalate, andsec-butyl acetate, and the volume ratio of the polyvinyl acetatesolution, the polyvinyl alcohol solution, the dibutyl phthalate, and thesec-butyl acetate is 1˜1.2:15˜17:0.3˜0.5:2.5˜3.0.
 5. The compositearticle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has athickness of about 20 μm to about 40 μm.
 6. The composite article asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the plastic part is made of a resin having amolding temperature lower than 170° C.
 7. A method for making acomposite article, comprising: providing a ceramic part; mixingpolyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, dibutyl phthalate, sec-butylacetate, and organic solvent together to make a liquid adhesive; coatingthe liquid adhesive on at least one surface of the ceramic part anddrying the liquid adhesive to form an adhesive layer; injection moldinga plastic part on the adhesive layer of the ceramic part.
 8. The processas claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid adhesive is made by mixingpolyvinyl acetate solution with a mass percentage of 55%, polyvinylalcohol solution with a mass percentage of 5%, dibutyl phthalate andsec-butyl acetate together, and the volume ratio of the polyvinylacetate solution, the polyvinyl alcohol solution, the dibutyl phthalateand the sec-butyl acetate is 1˜1.2:15˜17:0.3˜0.5:2.5˜3.0.
 9. The processas claimed in claim 7, wherein the organic solvent is alcohol.
 10. Theprocess as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drying of the liquid adhesiveis carried out at a temperature of 40° C. for at least 30 min or at aroom temperature for at least 24 hours.
 11. The process as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of about 20 μm toabout 40 μm.
 12. The composite article as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe plastic part is made of a resin having a molding temperature lowerthan 170° C.